10 Brilliant Uses For Toothpicks

If you've ever successfully dislodged a stubborn blackberry seed with a toothpick, you already have a healthy respect for these mighty sticks. Prepare to become an even bigger fan with these clever uses from First For Women.

1. Temporarily repair broken glasses You love dining alfresco. But as you reach into your purse for your sunglasses to reduce the glare, you notice that one side has come loose due to a missing screw. Fix it for the time being by aligning the screw holes of the arm with the frame and inserting the tip of a toothpick; break off the excess. The wooden sliver will fit right into the opening to hold the parts together. (When you're ready to replace the screw, simply remove the toothpick with a pair of tweezers.) Now that your eyes are shielded from the sun, you can focus on the menu!

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2. Spice up an ordinary manicure Instead of applying only the same old shade of polish, add flair to your nails with a trendy swirl accent. First, select two of your favorite colors. Coat an entire nail with one shade, and before it dries, place a drop of the second color on the nail. Then use a toothpick to blend the hues together. The pick's fine point lets you create loops and twists for professional-looking results.

3. Serve perfectly done burgers You have no problem memorizing how each of your guests wants her burger cooked. But once the patties are lined up on the grill, confusion sets in and you can't remember which is which. To easily keep track of the levels of doneness, color the tips of several toothpicks using three different shades of marker to signify rare, medium, and well done. Just insert the picks into the burgers as they finish cooking. Voilà—a job, er, well done!

4. Support a weakened plant stem

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Just because the stem of your favorite plant folded over doesn't mean the bloom is doomed. Brace the stalk by placing a toothpick against the stem and wrapping with transparent tape. Then water the plant as usual. The toothpick will act as a splint to help the stem regain its strength and stand up straight. (Note: Removal time varies depending on how fast the plant grows, but most plants will be back to normal within a week.)

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5. Slow quick-to-pour vinaigrettes Oops! You added too much dressing to your salad...again. Blame it on the hard-to-handle, wide-mouthed bottle that dispenses as if it has a mind of its own. The solution to your dressing dilemma: toothpicks. Next time you open a new bottle, instead of removing the seal, use a toothpick to poke several small holes in it. The tiny openings will allow you to reduce your dressing intake. As a result, you'll cut calories and your bottle will last twice as long.

6. Ensure sausages brown evenly Cooking sausages can be challenging—they roll around on the grill, making it difficult to keep track of how long each side has cooked. Guarantee they're always perfectly prepared with this trick: Soak toothpicks in water for 10 minutes, then pop one into each side of the meat. This will prevent the links from moving about, so you can accurately time their flipping.

7. Find the edge of the tape every time Whenever you use masking tape, you struggle to find where the roll begins. Avoid the hassle for good by placing a toothpick under the free end each time you tear off a piece. This marker will make it a cinch to spot the edge, helping you eliminate wasted time.

8. Clean a pet brush in seconds

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Dislodge every last piece of fluff from Kitty's brush with this foolproof technique: Run a toothpick down each row of bristles, pulling up the fur as you go. The pointed tip will easily get under the tightly wound strands, so no fur will get left behind.

9. Quickly plug a leaky garden hoseOh, no! While watering your thirsty lawn, you realize that your garden hose has sprung a leak. To seal it, insert a toothpick in the hole and break off the excess that's sticking out. Keep the plug securely in place with a piece of duct tape. The toothpick will swell when wet to snugly fill the opening.

10. Decorate a cake like a pro The last time you attempted to write "Happy Birthday" on your son's cake, you ran out of space and were forced to crowd the letters together as you reached the edge. Not this year! After frosting the cake, use a toothpick to write your message on it. Then trace the lines with the icing bag. You'll be able to map out the design (and smooth away any mistakes) beforehand to ensure a flawless celebratory dessert.

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